Presented by: Michael Ferrell, Chairman

MWCOG Human Services and Public Safety Policy Committee APRIL 17, 2015

Photo Credit: Bob Jagendorf

2015 Homeless EnumerationResults for the Metropolitan Washington Region

Photo credit: scribbletaylor

2015 Point-in-Time Enumeration COG’s 15th annual enumeration Conducted on January 28, 2015 Provides a one-day “snapshot” of the

region’s homeless population Updates data on the number of

unsheltered persons and persons utilizing Winter Shelters, Year-round Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing Facilities, Safe Havens and Permanent Supportive Housing within nine metropolitan Washington area jurisdictions

How is Homelessness Defined? Literally Homeless - People who reside in

some form of emergency or transitional shelters, domestic violence shelters, runaway youth shelters, and places not meant for human habitation, which include streets, parks, alleys, camp sites, abandoned buildings, and stairways.

Formerly Homeless - People presently living in permanent supportive housing following a period of living on the street or in emergency or transitional shelter.

Homelessness Reduced Slightly in 2015

NOTE: The literally homeless total above includes the unsheltered homeless.

LITERALLY HOMELESS BY JURISDICTION 2014 - 2015

Jurisdiction 2014 2015

Change in Number of

Persons 2014-2015

Percent Change 2014 - 2015

Alexandria 267 267 0 0%Arlington County 291 239 -52 -18%District of Columbia 7,748 7,298 -450 -6%Fairfax County 1,225 1,204 -21 -2%Frederick County 246 311 65 26%Loudoun County 179 168 -11 -6%Montgomery County 891 1,100 209 23%Prince George's County 654 627 -27 -4%Prince William County 445 409 -36 -8%

TOTAL 11,946 11,623 -323 -2.7%

Unsheltered Count is Highly Variable UNSHELTERED SINGLE ADULTS BY JURISDICTION,

2014-2015

Jurisdiction 2014 2015

Percent Change 2014 -

2015Alexandria 23 23 0%Arlington County 51 39 -24%District of Columbia 396 544 37%Fairfax County 66 68 3%Frederick County 49 60 22%Loudoun County 26 38 46%

Montgomery County95

1038%

Prince George's County82

11338%

Prince William County98

84-14%

TOTAL 886 1,072 21%

Eliminating Veteran Homelessness

*Since 2010, the metropolitan Washington region has reduced the population of homeless veterans by 19%.

Improvement with Single Adults, But Family Homelessness Continues to Rise Over 5 Years

Total Persons in Households with

ONLY ChildrenTotal Single

Adults

Total Persons in Families

Regional Total

MWCOG REGION

2015 16 5,929 5,678 11,623

2014 9 6,057 5,880 11,946

2013 27 6,115 5,405 11,547

2012 15 6,204 5,611 11,830

2011 26 6,647 5,206 11,879

2011 - 2015 Percent Change -38.5% -10.8% 9.1% -2.2%

Children in Homeless Families Represent Nearly 1/3rd of Region’s Homeless Population

2015 LITERALLY HOMELESS PERSONS IN FAMILIES BY JURISDICTION

JurisdictionAdults in Families

Children in

Families

Persons in

FamiliesAlexandria 37 71 108Arlington County 26 49 75District of Columbia 1,428 2,049 3,477Fairfax County 285 430 715Frederick County 43 87 130Loudoun County 34 54 88Montgomery County 184 318 502Prince George's County 139 220 359Prince William County 85 139 224ALL COG COCs 2,261 3,417 5,678

• Children represent 60% of all people in homeless families

Photo credit: Homeless Children’s Playtime Project

Over Half of Single Homeless Adults with Income Are Employed

39% of all homeless adults in families are employed (5 percentage point increase from 2014)

20% of all homeless single adults have jobs (1 point increase from 2014)

More than 70% of all homeless adults in families are employed in the City of Alexandria, Loudoun & Prince George’s Counties

Formerly Homeless: Regional Progress

*Data for 2014 & 2015 includes Rapid Re-Housing & Other Permanent Housing placements. Data collected prior to 2014 includes Permanent Supportive Housing only.

Permanent Housing Solutions Vary By Need

Note: Data collected prior to 2014 includes Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) only; some persons previously classified as being placed in PSH have now been reclassified as housed in RRH or OPH.

Permanent Housing Solutions Vary By Need

Note: Data collected prior to 2014 includes Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) only; some persons previously classified as being placed in PSH have now been reclassified as housed in RRH or OPH.

Permanent Housing Placements Have Constrained the Growth in Homelessness While Region’s

Population Has Soared

Recommendations and Challenges to Reducing Homelessness

Recommendations:Continue implementing Housing First and Rapid Re-housing models that provide homeless residents with needed wrap-around services to assist them in their efforts to live as independently as possible.Provide more housing subsidies for low-income households;Implement shelter diversion programs and prevention strategies that identify households at risk of homelessness and prevents their need to be housed in local shelter programs.Increase and improve outreach efforts to unsheltered homeless people living in the woods and on the street.

Recommendations and Challenges, continued The region should create affordable

housing opportunities across income levels.

Challenges: Federal budget uncertainty, cuts in grant

funding and limited availability of Housing Choice Vouchers may limit progress on providing permanent housing;

Increasing housing prices in the region further constrain affordable housing options.

Are There Any Questions?

My contact information:Michael Ferrell, Executive DirectorDistrict of Columbia Coalition for the

Homeless(202) 347-8870mferrell@dccfh.org